PARIS: Sales comes with a hint of blue

Why the Padres want to sprint from their identity is baffling. Their current uniforms and the lettering that runs across them could be any number of teams using blue as the core color: Dodgers, Royals, Cubs, Blue Jays, etc. But when a major leaguer dons brown, it's immediately linked to the Padres. Do they have to return to their Taco Bell editions, which were eye-popping mustard yellow and brown? Not really, but blending brown into the fabric is a nod to the past, while you're busy selling the future.

Introduce the Padre Taco

The O'Malleys know the benefits and brand exposure of marrying an entrée with a team. The Dodger Dog is a gloriously grilled offering that probably isn't good for you, is stuffed with animal filler and yet tastes like a steak at the Ritz. The Padres could follow suit, with a Padre Taco, and with North County's Bull Taco already dishing grub at Petco Park, this is a no-brainer. Call it just that, the Bull Taco, as the Padres pay tribute to former outfielder Al "The Bull" Ferrara. It's a name O'Malley recognizes, as, like many of the new Padres owners, Ferrara started with the Dodgers.